A Vampire Runaway
by MacKayRose
Summary: Roxanne has been running away from her past. After having a strange dream, she meets the Cullens. Now her past has caught up with her. Can Roxy save the Cullens or will she lose everything that is important to her?
1. Chapter 1: The Dream

The night has always been full of mystery. It's as if it is alive. Even now, I could feel its soft breath caress my face, playing with my hair. My eyes closed slowly and inhaled the calming scent of the earth all around me as if it were an intoxicating perfume. For that one moment, I felt myself relax and give into my surroundings. I wasn't even part of this world anymore. I was detached from everything. Nothing else mattered.

It only occurred to me then what a normal person would have figured out from the very beginning. I was in a forest. I didn't know how I got there and I didn't really care at that particular moment either. My eyes opened and even in the dark I could see how the ancient trees intertwined together, creating a maze. The grass wasn't damp, but I recognized the smell instantly. It was the same scent you get just after it rains. It filled my lungs and for once I let a small smile spread across my lips. I could almost hear the steady beat of its heart, in complete harmony with my own.

It was then that I noticed a shadow hidden among the shadows. It was different. It moved towards me, growing larger as it got closer. Suddenly I could see his eyes. A perfect golden brown that seemed to reflect the moon's light. He walked to me slowly, but not cautiously. There was a confidence about him that demanded attention. He stepped out of the trees. His pale skin contrasted the black background. He was incredibly handsome. He was a vampire. My body tensed and I quickly scrambled to my feet. He didn't hesitate in the slightest, his lips twitching upward. I tried to focus, gathering the energy I could feel around me. Despite how much a hated using my so-called-gift, I wasn't about to go down without a fight. Anger sparked in me.

He stopped when he was only a foot away from me. And that was it. He did nothing. I expected him to launch himself at me, threatening to rip my throat out with his teeth. But he just stood there, keeping eye contact with me. I watched him cautiously while not moving from my defensive crouching position. Finally, he did something that caught me completely off guard. He offered me his hand.

I could only stare at him wide eyed. Who was he and why was he telling me to take his hand? Without thinking, I got out of my crouch. I didn't take his hand. But I felt myself take a careful step forward. I looked behind the strange man and realized that we weren't alone anymore. Eight other vampires had emerged from the trees as well and were standing close behind him. What shocked me most was that one of those eight was a child. The young girl clung on to one of the vampires. Her curly hair fell in front of her face, her eyes shining brightly. But there was something that separated her from the rest. Even from far away I could see the slight rouge in her cheeks and her vibrant brown eyes. She was still alive, only half vampire. She was like me.

The feel of my own heart beat startled me and I jumped. I was only half vampire. My father had used a human woman and gotten her pregnant. Unfortunately, my birth meant her death. I had never forgiven my father for what he had done. I glanced at the woman holding the young girl. She was standing next to a bronze haired boy. Was it even possible that that those two were her real parents? My eyes grew large again as I saw the bronze haired man nod once at me, as if he was answering my unspoken question. I looked back at the man who first appeared. He was still smiling, his hand still extended to me.

This time I didn't hesitate as I put my hand in his. I wasn't afraid anymore. I wasn't angry. For the first time ever, I felt accepted and cared for. I felt loved. Suddenly I understood. This coven of vampires wasn't a coven at all. They were something more. They were a family, a foreign concept to me.

A fierce growl broke the silence. I stared in horror as I saw yet another coven of vampires jump from the maze of trees. This time I was not fooled. They were not like the family of vampires. They were a kind of vampire I was unfortunately all too familiar with.

"No!" I yelled desperately, frozen in fear. It was if no one had heard me. The coven of vampires didn't even pause as they headed straight for the family. I felt the man's hand start to slip from mine. I clutched onto it as hard as I could, not willing to let him go. "Don't, leave them alone!" I screamed at the newly unwanted visitors. The man effortlessly pulled back his hand and stood with his family. As I watched the dark coven of vampires launch themselves at the family, the night swallowed me whole.

I jerked awake from my nightmare, breathing heavily. I was back in the basement of the abandoned warehouse. A rotten smell attacked my lungs and I couldn't help but cough as I struggled to my feet. I rubbed at my face and realized I had been crying in my sleep. What had happened? Nothing made sense. Who were those people?

"What does it mean?" I whispered to myself. I shook my head, not able to think of a response to my own question.


	2. Chapter 2: Damon

My footsteps were slow, but determined, as I moved through the forest that surrounded the small town of Forks. Effortlessly I brushed branches out of my way and walked in silence. Despite the shelter of the leaves, raindrops still fell on my head. Unfortunately that was the last of my problems.

I didn't know where I was going. I didn't even exactly know where I was. Yet I kept trudging forward knowing that I was looking for something. Subconsciously, I had a good guess where I was heading. I just wasn't willing to admit to myself that I was that insane or desperate. The wind played with my blonde hair, wet strands slapping me in the face. I knew that this couldn't be the forest my dream took place in. Still, a nagging doubt laagered in my mind and a brush of familiarity brushed through me as I wandered deeper into the forest. The trees looked so similar and I had to keep pushing back the thought in my head that told me that this was the same place. The trees in my dream could grow anywhere and it was ridiculous to think otherwise. So how come I was even here? My steps grew softer as I listened to the world around me. The sun was setting, but I wasn't ready to go back. I wasn't ready to give up that pathetic feeling of hope that was swelling inside. Not yet anyway.

It was only then that I heard the rustling behind me. My heart jumped into my throat and I spun around. Nothing was there. Only wind. But then I heard it again. I glanced over my shoulder but saw nothing. The hairs on the back of my neck were standing up and every muscle in my body was tense. My ability to control the energy around made my powers limitless. I knew that if I practiced my control I could do anything. I didn't want to, though. But still I could feel the familiar spark of power spread through my entire body, the energy coming to me automatically. My hands rolled themselves into fists. A low growl rose from deep within my chest.

He didn't hide from me. He simply walked out from the trees, so casually it took me off guard. The hope I had been feeling only moments ago quickly disappeared, overcome by fear and anger. He smirked, pleased by my response. "Down girl," He said lightly as he approached me, his midnight eyes filled with dark humour. The sound of his voice hit me like a tidal wave and I couldn't stop myself from flinching.

"Damon." I hissed at him. I forced myself to stay where I was even though every muscle in my body was telling me to run from him, just like I had been doing for the past three years.

He looked the same as he did the last time I had met him. He was dressed in his black t shirt and ripped jeans. A chain hung loosely around his neck and tattoo's ran down his muscular arms. His hair was long and shaggy. My breath caught in my throat as his dark aura surrounded me, almost suffocating me.

"For someone who has been living on the streets, you still look pretty good." He told me simply, but I still caught the hinting tone behind it. My eyes narrowed, fighting to keep control of the energy that was now sparking around me.

"I'm not going back." I snapped, growling at him again. He just laughed and shook his head.

"You belong there, to us." He sounded so determined and that terrified me. "To me," He added after a beat. His evil grin grew; sending a chill down my spine and making me shiver. He stepped closer to me. "Your father wants you home." His body was touching me now and my heart beat sped up. He lifted his hand to stroke my cheek gently.

"No!" I managed to yell before I flung my arms out. The energy obeyed me instantly and slammed in Damon full force. He flew backwards, colliding with one of the trees and taking it down with him. A half a second later I knew I would regret that decision. Damon would have never been so stupid as to confront me alone. Other vampires would have been waiting in the trees, waiting for the queue to attack. I had just given it to them.

Sure enough, a body slammed into me and twisted one of my arms painfully behind my back. I struggled of course but the mystery attacker was soon joined by a second and third. All three started to swing, digging their claws into my back. Fists pounded my face fiercely as I tried to push them off. I glanced up to see Damon, who had quickly gotten to his feet watching me with a cruel smile. I screamed in agony as I felt one of the attackers sink their teeth into my neck. They had me pinned to the ground and my sight began to blur. The smell of fresh blood hit me hard and I knew it was mine. Two more sets of teeth dug into me. The pain was almost unbearable. My strength was fading. I had to do something now or they were going to kill me. If my father couldn't have my power, he wouldn't want anyone else to either.

The thought of my father was what snapped me out of my desperation. I wasn't about to let him win.

I gathered the energy around me once more and directed it at my three attackers. The blast was just strong enough to throw them off me and stun them so I could scramble to my feet. I looked at my attackers. They were groaning on the ground, surprised at my power. They were temporarily unable to fight, but it would only be another second before they were up again. I was in no condition to fight, I wasn't an idiot. So glaring in Damon's direction, who was no longer smiling, I used my last bit of strength to dive into the forest.


	3. Chapter 3: Meet The Cullens

The trees blurred from my sped. My muscles burned. The bite marks all over my body were agonisingly painful, but I still ran. If I didn't I would die, or worse, be brought back to my father. Seeing Victor was the last thing I ever wanted. Tears streamed down my cheeks, every breath burning my throat. I was so tired, so weak. I needed a place to rest. My vision was darkening. It felt as if I was falling into a black abyss. The ringing in my ears prevented me from being able to hear if anyone was following. I could only run, feel myself through the forest. It occurred to me that I wasn't even running straight. I was even more lost than I was before. I slammed into something hard, knocking it over. It took me a second to realize that I was lying on top of a vampire, who I had knocked onto the ground. I barely glanced at his face before I threw myself off of him and backed myself up against a tree, leaving as much space between us as possible. A warning growl slipped past my bloody lips and I glared at him, hoping that he was not in the mood for a fight. I watched him as he got to his feet and finally looked at me. The annoyance in his eyes quickly turned to worry. I knew immediately what he was seeing. A bloody girl looking like she had just escaped a fight with her life. I half expected him to attack me right then, me being easy prey. But he just stood there.

I watched him cautiously, taking him in. My blood had gotten over his jacket and jeans and even his face. His wild, curly blonde hair fell in front of his golden brown eyes and I could tell he had just hunted. He was strong. That was easy enough to tell. His eyes narrowed but it didn't hide the confusion I saw in them. Suddenly his face softened and I didn't feel threatened anymore. I felt safe. He wouldn't hurt me. Subconsciously I found myself taking a step forward. There was something so comforting and familiar about him. I took another step to him, loving how relaxed he made me.

Pain seized my entire body and I collapsed onto the ground. The mystery man didn't hesitate as he rushed to my side. I was shaking fiercely. I finally looked down to see my injuries. They were worse than I thought. My body was completely soaked in crimson. My skin was torn open in a number of places.

"It's going to be okay," He said gently, lifting my head on to his lap. I barely noticed him pulling out a cell phone. Seconds later he was talking to someone on the other end of the line. "Carlisle, we have a problem." Those were the last words I heard before sweet unconsciousness consumed me.

I was only half awake when I heard the sounds of worried voices from the next room. I was too tired to even open my eyes so I just listened. The first I recognized as the man who had helped me. I didn't know why I was able to pick up on his voice so quickly.

"We don't even know who she is." He said sharply. He sounded annoyed again. I could tell that he didn't even want to discuss this. It made me wonder why he had saved my life in the first place. Most vampires would have just killed me. At least the ones I knew. Why was I even still alive?

"She's hurt, Jasper. She needs our help." A soft, female voice said. Jasper, who obviously was the one who had saved me, sighed heavily. Suddenly I could feel someone's eyes on me. My body stiffened. "She's awake." The same voice said simply. Soon her eyes were joined by many others. How did she know I was awake? Pressure was put on my arm and I knew immediately that it was someone's hand.

Opening my eyes was harder than I thought it would be, but when I did, I was staring up at Jasper's face, along with a small brunette. My heart jumped, my nails digging into the bed underneath me.

"It's okay," Another voice said, belonging to neither Jasper nor the small brunette. Slowly I looked in the direction of the voice and my breath caught in my throat. I was staring at a man, not too much older than Jasper. His eyes were gently; his light blonde hair was neatly brushed back and out of his eyes. He smiled his already familiar smile. I sat up in one swift motion while ignoring the pain that seized my entire body. My eyes never left his. "You're safe now." He told simply and a rush of comfort rushed over me. I knew he was telling me the truth. He was the man who had offered me his hand in my dream. It didn't take long before the older brunette stood beside him, just like she did in the dream. Behind them, I noticed the rest of their family.

"Where am I?" I asked finally. My voice was rough and barely audible. The blonde man stepped forward and kneeled beside my bed.

"Our home in Forks," He said just as quietly as I did as if he didn't want to anger me. "I'm Carlisle and this is my family." I just stared at him, unsure what to think. Reality seemed distorted. I had to fight back the urge to reach out and touch him, just to make sure he was real and not just a dream.

"Carlisle," I whispered to myself, afraid that if I spoke any louder I would wake myself up. His name rolled off the tongue. It was so natural to be near him, someone I could trust, a natural ally.

"Yes, and this is Esme." He said gesturing to the sweet brunette woman standing next to him. "Edward and Bella," He continued, glancing quickly to the bronze haired boy and dark haired girl I had seen with the child. Speaking of which, where was she? If the rest were real, shouldn't she be here as well? My thoughts were interrupted by a confused glare by the bronze haired boy named Edward. His eyes were focused on me as if he were reading my mind.

The realization shook me. In my dream it had seemed as if he had been reading my mind. If the dream version of him could do it, why couldn't he? My dream seemed to be spot on about everything else so far. Carlisle alone was enough proof of that. It became clear to me that I had to be careful about my thoughts around him.

"Rosalie and Emmett," Carlisle gestured to two more of the vampires that were behind them. Emmett was an extremely muscular brunette with hair that was only about two inches away from a buzz cut. He had his arm around an impossibly beautiful blonde girl which I guessed was Rosalie. She would have been even more gorgeous looking, if that was even possible, but her face was carved into what seemed like a permanent scowl. She was obviously not pleased by my unexpected appearance.

"And finally this is Alice and Jasper." He said throwing a smile at the two vampires who had been directly next to me a second ago. Now they were both on the other side of the room, Jasper standing protectively in front of Alice. I nodded once at Jasper, really looking at him for the first time. Scars of bite marks covered his neck and jaw and I had to stop myself from flinching back. Clearly he was not a stranger to my world.

"What's your name, honey?" Esme asked me and I tore my eyes from Edward. Her wavy chestnut hair framed her angelic face. Her voice reminded was so soft and gentle and caring. It had a motherly worry tone that surprised me. Then again, everything about this family surprised me. It was so different. I hesitated for only a second, glancing once at Carlisle as a reminder that I could trust them, and then turned back to Esme. I took a shaky breath even though I already felt calm enough.

"Roxanne," I said finally. "Roxanne MacKay."

"Well, Roxanne, you were in pretty bad shape when Jasper found you." Carlisle commented as he raised his hand to my face and quickly examined it. I looked down and saw that the bite marks were almost healed. I was no longer bleeding, which was good, but I knew I would have some scars after this. Not that I didn't have tons already.

"I know. I'm glad I ran into you. Literally," I tried to smile again at Jasper. "Sorry about that, by the way." I added after a beat. I was surprised when I saw his lips twitch upward. Finally I let myself lay back down. I was still exhausted but I had to stay awake. I wasn't out of the woods just yet.

"You need sleep." Edward spoke suddenly, contradicting my thoughts. I gave him a weak smile and shrugged. "You're tired." He told me. It wasn't a question but I wasn't about to let him tell me what to do.

"I'm fine." I said while trying to make my voice strong. It was obvious he didn't believe me. "Thank you," I told them.

"No, Edward is right. It is best that you sleep." Carlisle said firmly. Esme closed the already short distance between and stroked my hair lovingly. I couldn't help but flinch from her touch. I instantly regretted my decision as she started to pull back her hand. She still smiled at me as if I hadn't hurt her at all. I sighed heavily.

"Maybe you're right." I answered them and let my body relax. I had to make sure my mind was clear of any thoughts while Edward was in the room. He must have noticed because his eyebrow raised but didn't say anything. I closed my eyes. Even though I loved how safe I felt here, I knew I couldn't stay. It was ridiculous to think otherwise and as soon as the last person closed the door my eyes opened again. For a few seconds I was perfectly still. I could hear their voices coming from downstairs, arguing what they should do with me. Silently I got off the bed and found myself walking to the closed door. I pressed my body against it and listened to their muffled voices.

"This is crazy!" Someone whispered harshly. I smiled bitterly. They had no idea how crazy things could get if I stayed here.

"Rose, she needs our help. We don't even know what attacked her." A sweet voice responded calmly. It was Alice, the cute girl standing next to Jasper. My smile faded quickly. That was all the convincing I needed to get out of here. They could just as easily become attached to me as I already felt to them. If that happened, who knows what my enemies would do to them to get to me. Or what they wouldn't do to protect me.

"It isn't our job." Rosalie countered easily. I prayed that she could convince the others to forget about me. Maybe she wasn't the only one who felt that way. Hopefully Jasper would be on her side as well.

I was about to step away from the door and leave when something stopped me. Through the arguing I could hear the distinct sound of a heartbeat. Why hadn't I heard that before? The steady sound pulsed through me, completely in synch with my own. Then I realized that I was hearing two coming from downstairs. Another half vampire child, or was it something else? I doubted a human would be here.

With questions swirling around my mind, I pushed myself away from the door and finally made my way to the window. The night wind slapped my face, playing with my golden blonde hair. I inhaled once. The smell was intoxicating. I didn't realize I had jumped from the window until I was on the ground. The soft grass brushed up against my legs. Looking one last time back at the Cullen's house, I ran into the dark forest.


	4. Chapter 4: A Place To Stay

Only a couple days had passed and I felt alone again. I hated that feeling. That nagging voice in the back of your head that told you that kept reminding you that you had no one. If something were to happen to you, there would be no one to care or to help. Maybe that was why I ended up in places like this one. An old bar that was always too fancy for the locations it was always built in and crowded with horny, rich men whose wives either dumped their ass or is too busy to keep them 'entertained'. I normally wouldn't sink this low if I had absolutely no money or if there were no other jobs available in whatever hick town I happened to be in. Being a go-go dancer wasn't all that bad. I made good money and I guess in some sick sense, I liked having someone giving me attention. It helped keep my mind off of my normal problems, like running for my life.

This place was just like all the rest. A circle bar was in the middle of the dance floor. Men were surrounding it. I happened to be on top of it dancing wearing a pair of tight leather jeans and a blood red halter top. Glitter covered my pale skin, sparkling under the strobe lights. I glanced down at the man that I was dancing in front of. He was practically drooling over my three inch heel boots. His face changed from red to blue to green to yellow and then back to red. He held out a twenty dollar bill. I gave him my best sexy smirk as I crouched down in front of him. I took the money from him and rolled my pant leg of to reveal my boots. I slipped the money in them while never taking my eyes away from his. I pulled back down my pant leg and I grabbed a bottle of vodka from one of the waiters and ran it across the man's chest teasingly. His smile grew and he tilted his head back. I let the clear liquid spill out of the bottle and into the man's throat. When he had enough I through it back to the waiter behind me and stood up slowly, reaching for the rail just above my head. One of my hands ran through my hair while my body kept in beat with the music that was pounding through me. The man and his friends' hollered in approval. Clearly they had too much to drink already. These guys were completely trashed.

Then something caught my attention, three new men entering the bar with strong disapproval written across their faces. My heart skipped a beat. I felt like I was going to puke. Almost instantly, Carlisle's eyes meet mine. If I hadn't been holding onto the rail right then I would have fallen off. Tears stung the corner of my eyes and I tried to swallow the painful lump that had formed in my throat. He looked so disappointed. It was like someone had just stabbed me in the heart. I had to make myself stay where I was as Carlisle started to head in my direction, Jasper and Emmett following close behind him.

"Common, baby, what's the matter?" The man who was sitting in front of me laughed happily. I had totally forgotten he was there. I tore my gaze away from Carlisle, not able to look at him anymore. "Let's get a little crazy." He grabbed at my leg which wouldn't have bothered me, I was still half vampire and much stronger than any human, but I was completely shocked when he started to kiss his way up my leg.

"Hey, what the hell is wrong with you?" I hissed at him, but not letting myself push him away. Knowing me, I would end up throwing him across the bar. Normally when I got angry enough, a human would back off instantly. They would be able to tell there was something extremely dangerous about me, that I was a predator. This guy, however, didn't back off. Instead his hands reached for the button of my pants and started to try to undo them.

"Common, man, that isn't cool." I heard one of his more sober friends say over the music. This time I did push him back with my leg. Thankfully it only made him move back a bit, letting go of my leg, and his chair was frighteningly close to falling over. He looked surprised for a second. I growled at him again, hoping that I had made my point and his buddies would get him out of here. Too bad this guy was a moron and he took a step towards me. Thankfully, a pair of hands grabbed him from behind before the creep could touch me again.

"Don't fucking touch me, man!" The drunken creep yelled, his words slurring. I looked behind him and my heart jumped into the throat. Emmett had a tight grip on the ass hole, looking pissed. He pulled the drunk closer to him.

"You really need to learn some manners. Get out of here before I have to be the one to teach you." Emmett whispered so only Carlisle, Jasper, and I could hear him. The threat finally seemed to get through to the loser and as soon as Emmett let go of him, he disappeared into the crowd.

Jasper and Carlisle both held out their hands to me like gentleman to help me down. Without looking at their faces, I took their hands and jumped down. "Are you okay?" Jasper asked me. The question seemed automatic to him and it didn't need an answer but I nodded anyway. I pushed my way around them and headed for the front door. I didn't have to look to know that they were following me. I didn't stop until I was outside and away from the crowds of people. "What are you doing here?" I asked the question before I even turned to face them.

"Shouldn't we be asking you that?" Carlisle sighed as he stared at me. My eyes instantly fell to the pavement.

"I'm not like you, Carlisle. I don't have money. I'm on the run. I take whatever job I can." I said finally. I didn't realize my mistake until the words escaped my lips. The three of them were silent as they processed what I said.

"Who are you running from?" Carlisle asked softly. I shook my head, tears falling down my cheeks. Carlisle's hand lifted my chin gently, forcing me to look at him again. "Was it the same person who hurt you the other night?"

"I'm not going to get you involved." I had tried to sound strong and determined, but my voice shook violently. They had saved my life once, I wasn't about to ask them to do it again, especially if it meant sacrificing their lives.

"Involved in what? Tell me what's going on so we can help." Carlisle insisted. I shook my head and reluctantly pushed his hand away.

"That's just it, you can't help me." I assured them. Not unless they wanted to take on a whole army of powerful vampires. Carlisle looked at me, his gaze steady. I didn't know how he did it. He seemed so composed, so sure of himself and yet so caring. Suddenly all I wanted to do was run into his arms and cry like a little girl who had just fallen off her bike. I wanted him to stroke my hair like a loving father would and tell me everything was okay and to not give up so easily. Instead I just stood there taking deep, jagged breaths. "I'm sorry," My voice was weak and shaking. Tear threatened to break free at any moment.

"At least come back to our home with us. We can give you a place to sleep and some food." He insisted.

"But you can't-" I started but he was already shaking his head, a charming smile crossing his lips.

"It's just a place to sleep and eat. That's all we are offering. I'd feel better if you weren't on the streets tonight. I assure you, you don't have to tell us anything you don't want to." Carlisle said calmly.

"Besides, do you really want to stay here?" Emmett gestured toward the bar from behind Carlisle. I shook my head slowly. This was a vial and disgusting bar, just like the people inside it. I didn't want to be something for rich, horny men to drool over. This place was the last place I would ever want to be. Well, second last actually.

After a beat I sighed. "Okay, I'll come." Carlisle's smile grew. I hesitantly followed Carlisle, Jasper, and Emmett to their jeep that was parked just down the road, trying to ignore the obvious shift in the atmosphere. Danger was just on the horizon. It was inevitable. Only one question raced across my mind that surprised me. Was there any way that I could protect the Cullen's?


	5. Chapter 5:A Reminder Of The Past

The days went quickly. What was supposed to be one night, turned into a second, which lead to a third. Damon, surprisingly, hadn't done anything since the night I had first met the Cullen's. I should have been grateful for the brief sense of security the Cullen's provided. Unfortunately all good things must come to an end eventually. Damon would come for me soon enough. I had spent the past couple days trying to think of a way to get Damon to leave the Cullen's alone. I hadn't thought of any yet.

A deep sigh escaped my lips and Esme looked up from the frying pan. "What is it, honey?" Esme asked me simply. Alice, who was sitting across from me at the table, looked up from her book.

"Nothing, I'm just tired." I lied uneasily. I was sure Alice and Esme could see through it, but Esme just returned to making me pancakes. Being only half vampire let me still enjoy some of the benefits of being human, like pigging out on junk food. Of course, blood tasted much better, but that didn't mean I didn't like unhealthy breakfasts as much as the next teenager.

"I could take you shopping today. We can get you some more clothes. Most of yours are torn anyway." Alice suggested in her overly-perky voice. I liked Alice. She acted as if I hadn't come into her life in an extremely confusing and dangerous way and wasn't keeping this huge secret from the rest of them. She treated me like I was part of the family. Maybe that was why I spent most of the time close to her.

"Sure," I answered with a slow nod. She had taken me shopping every single day. I was starting to wonder if she was glad I had pretty much no clothes left. I knew my style of tank tops and jeans was a little boring, but it was simple. When a girl is on the run, she can't keep up with current fashion trends. Boring was the easiest way to go.

"Roxy, did you want to still learn about cars today?" Emmett popped his head inside the kitchen. He was beaming and I couldn't help but smile right back. I was kind of glad that I had an excuse. I was done shopping for this week.

"Oh, yeah, sorry Alice I forgot. I asked Emmett to teach me about cars. It should be interesting since the most I know is that the gas makes the car go." She laughed as I stood up. Okay, it was an exaggeration. I knew a bit more then that obviously, but the more clueless I seemed, hopefully the less offended Alice would be. "If you hear an explosion, just get Nessie out of here." Nessie was Edward's and Bella's daughter. Go figure, they really were her true parents. Edward managed to do what my father didn't. Just after Nessie tore her way out of a human Bella, he turned Bella into a vampire which saved her life. I didn't think Nessie knew how lucky she really was.

I followed Emmett into the garage. It took a couple hours, but Emmett and I finally finished tinkering with the engine on his jeep. Amazingly, no explosions occurred while I was there. Emmett, however, did get oil spilled all over his shirt. Emmett says it was my fault. I say that he should have known better then to let me change the oil. Esme had brought my breakfast out to me, so when we finally finished I had to bring the dishes back inside.

"I'll be out back with everyone else." Emmett told me as I headed into the house. "Are you going to come?" I shrugged.

"Sure, I'll only be a second." I responded and went back inside. The house was empty of course. I threw the dish into the sink and let the water run. I sighed. Why couldn't things just stay like this forever? I felt so loved and safe here. It was easy being with them. I had to keep reminding myself that the Cullen's lives, not to mention mine, were still in danger, something that I kept forgetting.

A high pitched scream brought me back to reality. I spun around in a defensive position. No one was there. What the hell? I didn't have to wait long until the first scream was followed by a second. It was coming from outside. My stomach twisted itself in knots as realization hit me. It was Renesmee.

I rushed to the nearest window and looked down to see The Cullen's all standing close together. They were all in defensive positions. They all looked down right pissed. I could hear Edward growling fiercely. Renesmee wasn't with them. Where was she?

I finally noticed that the Cullen's weren't alone. Five strong looking vampires stood in front of them. They looked quite pleased with themselves. I didn't understand until I saw Renesmee. One of the vampires held her tightly, twisting one of her arms behind her back painfully. His free hand was covering her mouth. The growl that had come deep within my chest cut short when I saw _him_.

"Damn it," I hissed as I glared at Damon from above. Fear thrummed through me as I stared down at him.

"You've been hiding her. We want her. Where is she?" To anyone else, Damon sounded perfectly calm. I, however, could hear the frightening tone that hid beneath it. He was handsome as ever, his dark hair hanging in front of his black eyes. He seemed composed, but in a different way than Carlisle. Carlisle always looked like a leader, a father, someone decent and good. Damon just looked fierce.

"We haven't been hiding anyone." Carlisle was insisting. That was somewhat true. He was hiding someone. He just didn't know that. Why would he lie for me when his own flesh and blood where on the line?

"Don't play stupid, Old Man; we don't have time for this." Damon snapped. Anger sparked through me. I didn't like him talking to Carlisle like that.

Suddenly Damon looked up at me as if he already knew I was there. He smirked and my terror dissolved any anger or bravery I had felt seconds before. I took a step away from the window, but not before seeing Damon gesture to the house. Two of his men started inside. I made a run for the front door. I couldn't breathe. I was screwed.


	6. Chapter 6: Past and Present

I had made it to the door when my feet stopped. It was like someone had cemented them to the floor. A voice in my head barked at me to go back and help them. How cowardly could I be? This family had taken me in, without any explanation, and treated me as one of their own. They were sweet and kind and I was going to let them sacrifice their lives for me. I was just as bad as my father.

I was about to turn back when two pairs of hands grabbed me from behind. They twisted my arms behind my back and I let out a yelp of surprise. One of them sunk their teeth into my neck. I could feel the blood being drained from my body. Slowly but surely, I felt myself get weaker by the second.

"Nice try," The other snarled. Before I could even react they had started to drag me to the backyard. This was not good. I couldn't go out there. The Cullen's couldn't know who I was or where I came from. At least, I didn't want them to find out this way. They would never forgive me.

The two vampires were physically they were stronger than me and in a half a second I was outside. I didn't look at any of the Cullen's as Damon's minions dragged me past them. I struggled against their grasp, but it only made them hold onto me tighter. "Let go of me." I demanded. And they did. They threw me hard to the ground right at Damon's feet. I managed to get on my hands and knees, unable to stop myself from shaking violently. The cold wind slapped my face, playing with my blonde hair.

"Why do you always have to make things difficult?" Damon asked in a low voice.

"Would I be me if I didn't?" I replied with a smirk. It was a stupid move. You don't taunt the ones who could kill you in a heartbeat. But I couldn't help myself, I never could. My mouth had gotten me in trouble more than once. It didn't help that Damon had a temper. Naturally, one of his hands wrapped around my neck. Automatically one of my hands grabbed his and I made a pathetic attempt to make him let me go. He furiously yanked me up and his grip loosened when I was on my feet. I took a few strangled breaths and looked at the ground, unable to look at him. His thumb ran up and down my neck, making me aware of how vulnerable I was right now. He could so easily snap my neck with barely any effort on his part.

I finally understood why the Cullen's and Jacob, my new werewolf pal, weren't attacking Damon and his men. Although Carlisle and his family outnumbered them, the vampire that held Renesmee had her by the throat, just like Damon had me. The Cullen's could have attacked the vampire, but they would more than likely lose Renesmee in the process. As badly as I could tell they wanted to, they weren't about to take the risk.

"No, I guess you wouldn't be." Damon chuckled. "You've always had to do things the hard way."

"Roxy, do you know these gentlemen?" Carlisle sounded as if "gentlemen" was the last word he would use for Damon. I tried to swallow the painful lump that had formed in my throat. My heart threatened to pound its way out of my chest. I flinched at the sound of Damon's laughter.

"Of course she does." Damon grabbed my jaw and forced me to look at him. Dark humour filled his eyes. I wanted to scream no, plead for him not to say anything else, but knew it was useless. I was trapped and Damon savoured in my fear. His eyes flickered back to the Cullen's. "I'm her fiancé." I could feel all of their eyes shift to me. I hated him.

"_Ex-_fiancé," I hissed at Damon. "When someone has been running away from you for the past five years of their life that normally means that the engagement is off." He laughed again as if I had said a joke. I, however, felt as if I was going to be sick.

"What is he talking about? How do you know them?" Alice demanded but I was frozen in fear.

"Oh, she hasn't told you?" Damon responded innocently. His eyes locked onto mine and his smile grew. I shook my head helplessly and mouthed the word 'no'. "Roxy here and I are supposed to get married." The words like a punch to the gut.

"Were, we _were_ supposed to get married." I protested but it was like I hadn't spoken.

"I'm a friend of her dad, Victor." I had to fight the urge to not run away. I glanced over at Carlisle. While the rest of his family looked shell-shocked, comprehension flashed across his gentle eyes. Almost everyone knew about my dad. He was the only vampire to escape the Vulturi and he was determined to over throw them by any means. Everyone also knew me. Victor's daughter, the vampire that was given the world's strongest gift. The ability to manipulate and control the energy around me.

I had never felt so completely defeated before. "Damon, stop." I begged him. It was pointless. The damage had been done. Damon turned his attention back to me.

"Your father was amused at first, but now he's furious. He wants you home." Damon told me sternly. He sounded more like my father than he ever had. I automatically took a step back but his grip on my throat tightened.

"I'm not going back." I coughed and he laughed. He leaned in close to me.

"Are you sure? Because Renesmee may have to pay the price for that decision." He whispered, his breath caressing my face. I glanced at Renesmee. Terror was written on her face. She was so young, so sweet. Anger rushed through me, replacing my fear. Against my will, a tear streamed down my face. Damon wiped it away. "Do you want to change your answer?" He asked, very pleased. I nodded. "That's my girl." He kissed my lips gently before letting go of my jaw. He gestured to the vampire that held Renesmee and he let her go. Nessie ran to Edward, Bella, and Jacob. Edward scooped her up in his arms and then glanced at me.

Two vampires grabbed my arms again and started to drag me away from the only people who I trusted. I had to do something now or I would never get free. I was careful not to put up a fight at first. I learned long ago that the element of surprise could be the key to winning many battles.

We were coming close to the edge of the forest when I suddenly stopped. I didn't give my vampire guards anytime to react and jammed my elbows into their stomachs. A third vampire ran in my direction, facing me head on. The grip the other two had on me was still strong. As soon as the third was right in front of me, I kicked him in the stomach and he flew back. The force let me flip over the first two, breaking their grip. As soon as I was free, another two headed straight for me. I gathered the energy around me and gestured toward the two of them. It was like some invisible force sent them flying backwards. Before anyone else could get their hands on me I jumped into one of the trees and looked down at Damon, anger burning in his eyes.

"You said it yourself Damon. I wouldn't be me if I didn't make this difficult for you." I told him and smiled. A snarl ripped from his throat. I managed to push back my fear and jumped from tree to tree, going further into the forest.


	7. Chapter 7: A Promise

"Forget the Cullen's. All Victor wants is her!" Damon commanded. Sure enough, half a second later I could hear Damon and his minions close behind me. I had to get them away from the Cullen's. Now that Carlisle and his family knew, they would be able to defend themselves properly. They were strong but I still didn't want Damon anywhere near them.

The trees blurred as my speed increased. I couldn't keep this up forever. I needed to lose them. The air around me sparked with energy. If I couldn't out run them, I would eventually have to fight them. I was coming to a cliff. I was running out of time and options. Without thinking, I jumped. My hands gripped onto a branch that was sticking out from the cliff. I could hear the rushing waters below me, threatening to swallow me whole if I fell. It didn't take long to hear pursuing footsteps. I held my breath and said a silent prayer that they were too caught up in the chance to smell me.

"Where the hell is she?" One of them sounded out of breath.

"Damon is going to kill us if we lose her. Come on, she probably went that way." Another said, sounding frantic. Damon wasn't with them?

I listened to their footsteps grow more and more distant until I could no longer hear them. I finally hoisted myself back onto solid ground and collapsed, exhausted. I closed my eyes. One minute lying here couldn't hurt. I was so tired. I only needed a second to rest before I went back to make sure Damon wasn't anywhere near the Cullen's.

"Did you lose them?" A voice said from behind me. My heart jumped into my throat. I spun around to see Damon materializing in front of me. He loved to show off his gift. Damon could turn himself and anyone else into shadow. It was the reason he was one of my dad's favourites and had lasted so long in our coven.

Damon moved towards me slowly, a lopsided grin on his face. "Leave me alone Damon. I'm not going back." I had tried to sound strong and sure of myself, but my voice shook and come out in a whisper. The way he walked, it reminded me of a jungle cat stalking its prey. His movements were smooth and quiet and in seconds his body was inches away from mine. I closed my hands into fists to stop them from shaking.

"That was quite the show you made back there. You just never give up, do you?" He lifted his hand and for a second I thought he was going to hit me. Instead his thumb stroked my cheek, a loving, caring gesture. I found myself unable to take my eyes off of his.

"Nope," I responded and knocked his hand away. For a moment, I thought I saw hurt flicker across his face, but it disappeared too quickly and I decided I must have imagined it. His smile didn't waver and he took a step closer so our bodies were touching.

"That's just one of the things that I love about you." I took a step back.

"Stop saying that. I don't love you, you don't love me, and I am not going back." I was happily surprised when my voice didn't shake that time. I sounded strong and determined. Suddenly his eyes turned ice cold and my confidence shattered. I realized that I could see through him. He was changing into shadow.

Desperate, I flung my arms out, sending a strong wave of energy at him. It passed through his body and hit a tree instead. The tree exploded, sending pieces of bark flying. Damon was already in his shadow form. I searched the dark for him even though I knew it was useless. The wind suddenly kicked up around me. I raised my arms in front of my face instinctively.

"No!" I screamed as an invisible force slammed into me. Shadow slithered up my body like a snake, consuming me, becoming a part of me. Of course I fought against him, which was another mistake on my part. As long as you don't fight it, being changed into shadow, it wasn't painful. In fact, it was a thrilling experience. I know because when Damon and I _were_ together, he had turned me into shadow many times. It had made me feel closer to him. If you fight the change, it becomes extremely painful, but I couldn't stop myself from fighting. "Let me go!" I begged him but my voice was caught in the winds. Pain seared through me as Damon slowly changed me to shadow, enjoying my suffering.

I knew the change was complete when I couldn't feel the ground anymore. I looked down and saw that we were several feet above the tallest trees. I could feel Damon all around me. The smell of him filled my lungs, mixed with the night. My head was spinning and I continued to struggle.

"_Are you sure you want me to let you go? It's a hell of a drop if I do." _Damon's words traced across my mind. I whimpered but stopped struggling.

"Where are you taking me?" I demanded. His laughter vibrated through me and I shuddered. He sped through the trees, leaving me disorientated.

"_Don't worry, love, you aren't going home. Not yet anyway."_ He assured me. Confusion rushed over me. _"This game is just getting interesting. I wouldn't dream of ending it now. But by the end of it, I assure you, my sweet that you will begging to come back to me." _His words were not a threat, but a promise.

All of the sudden, I was on the ground again. I wasn't a shadow anymore. I was on my hands and knees, nausea consuming me. It took me a second to realize that I was in front of the Cullen's house again. I would have been grateful if I wasn't so terrified.

"Carlisle, come quick! Roxanne needs help!" I heard Alice shout in the distance, followed by a number of footsteps rushing to my aid. My whole body was shaking more out of fear than cold. A pair of hands pulled back my hair and out of my face. I didn't understand why until a second later when I threw up all over their driveway.


End file.
